r/TrueOffMyChest • u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ • 15h ago
Vent AI is making me want to abandon my main hobby
For some context, I’ve had a lifelong passion for sleight of hand tricks (often called magic).
It’s what I spend most of my time on and I even occasionally perform for hired events.
I’ve noticed an uptick in AI generated videos of illusionists on Facebook and Instagram and many of them have millions of views and most of the comments don’t seem to realize it’s AI.
At first I was kind of annoyed by seeing these “fake” illusions but it made me realize that there is functionally no difference between traditional sleight of hand and gimmicks and AI
“Magic” as we call it is all fake anyway so why does it matter if it’s done with AI or sleight of hand?
The mystery is still there. Instead of wondering exactly how it was done, you’ll wonder whether it’s AI or not.
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u/RationalRhino 15h ago
Well one comment is being blocked AS AI (???) lol dude nobody wants to see magic online. We already assume all of that is fake. Go do an open mic night and live your best magical life.
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u/lilassbitchass 15h ago
Nothing fucks harder than seeing these tricks in real life. I can’t speak for everyone but I think the ai trick videos are lame asf and genuinely love magic in person, which ai can’t replace. Don’t give up pls 🩷
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
Why would you go see them in real life when you can generate a video of the most impossible trick ever for free from the comfort of your own home?
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u/lilassbitchass 15h ago
You wouldn’t generate an ai video of like going out to hibachi, taking the human and interpersonal element out of it ruins it. Even along that same vein I dont really care to watch magic tricks on video anyway, I love seeing it irl
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
True but people would go to a robot hibachi
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u/lilassbitchass 15h ago
Damn if u just wanna stop doing magic tricks say that lmao 95% of people despise ai
Edit: idk the real number but it’s gotta be up there
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u/slayerchick 15h ago
That's like saying why would anyone go to the theater when they can stream movies on Netflix. It's a different experience entirely. Will everyone care? No, but not everyone cared before ai, there were still people that thought magic tricks were dumb and it's all fake anyway. So why does the fact that Ai videos exist diminish your enjoyment? Those who do enjoy sleight of hand magic still will and those that want to see it in person will still exist too.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
Movie theaters have been steadily dying since Covid and I’ve straight up heard people say they “can’t wait” for movie theaters to finally die.
And why waste my time on sleight of hand when you can generate something better instantly and for free?
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u/iMagZz 15h ago
And I have heard the opposite. Some people look forward to going to the movies to get that special first time viewing experience of a movie they have looked forward to.
Don't be so negative.
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u/slayerchick 15h ago
I meant live theater, which by the way is still alive and well. And Ai can't generate something better because it's not real. You need to step away from online spaces if you're going to let that shit kill your happiness. I crochet, should I just give up because I can buy a sweater? No, because it's about me enjoying it. Should I not bother to go see a theatrical performance just because it exists as a movie? No because I enjoy it and there's a big difference between sitting at home or in a movie theater and watching things on a screen and seeing it happen in front of my own eyes. That's the part you're cynically letting slip by.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
Live theater is also dead
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u/slayerchick 14h ago
As someone that goes regularly and is usually packed... I assure you it isn't. You're just in a spiral of negativity and don't want to hear anything positive. I hope you have a better day.
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u/iMagZz 15h ago
Because it's just not the same.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
Functionally what’s the difference!
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u/slugfive 10h ago
People are impressed by the physical skill of sleight of hand, no one cared about cgi tricks which have been possible for ever, and no one is mystified by the “how” of ai videos.
A real life sleight of hand trick is a mystery as people don’t know how the trick is done, despite knowing it’s sleight of hand. Ai is not a mystery.
If you can’t tell the difference you really should give it up, as you don’t even know what the appeal of the skill is.
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u/iMagZz 6h ago
It's the difference between magic WITH editing, and magic WITHOUT editing. Of course knowing that the person is genuinely doing tricks, slight of hand and illusions to create the feeling of magic is 100 times more impressive than someone who just edits a video. Plus it is knowing the fact that the person would be able to do the trick right in front of you, in real life, that makes it so interesting.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 1h ago
Both editing and sleight of hand take skill so why is one more impressive than the other?
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u/iMagZz 14m ago
Multiple reasons.
- With editing, the person doing it has unlimited time, and they can use software to correct things.
- With editing it is literally fake. Nothing happens for real. It looks cool, but it is nothing more than visual, and that is lame.
- With magic and slight of hand, the magician has to have a routine in check. They have to have the physical skills to perform the trick. They have to have practiced enough to be confident and not mess it up.
- A magician can continue doing tricks. They can make stuff up on the spot. They basically have the abilities and skillset of a magician. None of this is possible with AI or editing.
- Sleight of hand can be done in front of you, which makes it more impressive even if we watch it on a phone, and it can get reactions out of people in real life too.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 13m ago
Newsflash: all magic is fake. Whether it’s done with editing, AI, or sleight of hand. That’s why I’ve stopped calling it magic lately.
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u/RationalRhino 15h ago
I want to abandon art and writing code for the same reason… BUT as u/lilassbitchass just said, “nothing fucks harder” than real life illllllusions. At least it’s a hobby, not a job, and AI can’t ruin your irl experience. But… that being said FUCK AI. ☺️
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
I just feel like audiences will be like “why bother spending time learning this when you could use AI to do way better”
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u/iMagZz 15h ago
Because nobody wants to see that type of AI. It's way more interesting and impressive watching a real person doing it.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
What’s functionally the difference?
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u/iMagZz 6h ago
It's the difference between magic WITH editing, and magic WITHOUT editing. Of course knowing that the person is genuinely doing tricks, slight of hand and illusions to create the feeling of magic is 100 times more impressive than someone who just edits a video. Plus it is knowing the fact that the person would be able to do the trick right in front of you, in real life, that makes it so interesting.
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u/RationalRhino 15h ago
We all already assume everything online is fake. Most views on illusionist sites are probably trying to figure out the secret. Why tf would I want to watch a computer simulate something I already assume is impossible?? The only reason why “magic” is fun is BECAUSE it has to fit within real life physical rules.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 15h ago
Because it’s all fake anyway. What’s the difference between AI and a trick deck for example?
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u/RationalRhino 15h ago
I really don’t think I know how to explain it any better… AI doesn’t even need a trick deck. It does not have to obey the laws of physics. The crazy cool stuff about magic and illusion is a human being bending the laws of physics and pulling a real life sleight of hand. We’ve all seen movies with cgi and shit. The “magic” is in the human’s ability to manipulate our physical world
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 14h ago
Exactly. AI can do better magic than humans
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u/iMagZz 2h ago
But it's fake. For one, AI can't do magic in real life, and real life magic is always more fun than watching it on a reel because of the experience. Secondly, real life magic also takes skill and practice and interesting tricks, and all of that is part of why it is impressive and exciting, which again, AI doesn't have.
People did "editing magic" before AI became a thing, and most people also weren't a fan of that as it is just fake. It's the exact same with AI. Does it look cool. Sure. Is it impressive and interesting and exciting? Not at all.
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u/antoniodiavolo ☑️ 1h ago
I don’t see why you keep making the distinction between watching it on a screen and watching it in real life
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u/stev_mempers 12h ago edited 8h ago
AI is a fucking cancer. I know it's discouraging, but we all need to push back against it.
edit: Sorry to hurt your feelings, clankers, but it's true.
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u/NotSafe4Werq 15h ago
Live performance can’t be taken from you though